The Novelty of Existence

1

𝙽𝚂 ⋆ 𝙰𝚞𝚐𝚞𝚜𝚝 ⋆ 𝙿𝚊𝚕𝚘𝚖𝚊

The choppy waves of the Atlantic crashed a few meters ahead of me. The sea breeze tickled my bare legs as the gritty, rock-filled sand dug into my shoulder blades. This certainly wasn't the best beach within a 10-mile radius, but it was ours. Our little cove.

I liked the way the sun warmed my cheeks as it rose at this time in the morning.

"Rise and shine, Sasquatch." The sound of an unwelcome presence ruined my peaceful moment. Wes shuffled aggressively onto the beach beside my head, sending pebbles into my hair.

"Seriously, Wes?" I grumbled, too tired to chase him around the beach. He giggled and kicked some rocks toward the water a few feet ahead of me as I sat up. Almost every day, I wondered how I ended up with him as one of my best friends.

"I got you." A much more soothing voice in my other ear. Daniel sat down beside me on the rocks and started picking little rocks out of my thick waves. Gently and slowly, he helped me look at least slightly more presentable.

I took a long look at him, and suddenly, my heart was filled with sadness as I remembered yet again what today was.

The beginning of the end.

His hair was short and tightly curled, and his skin was dark and perfect. At that moment I felt wistful about it all, but really, his perfect skin had annoyed us all through middle and high school. Especially Wes.

Best of all was his 1000-watt smile. Sometimes he could act kind of stoic, so it felt good to be in the presence of that wide, toothy grin that he would flash when he was really happy.

"What you looking at?" Daniel's nose scrunched up and his head cocked slightly to the side.

"You," I admitted with a sigh.

Wes made gagging noises in front of us. God forbid we have a genuine moment in his presence.

"Yo yo yo." A dry, sleepy voice from the bushes behind us. The last piece to our puzzle.

"Aiden, you're 15 minutes late." Daniel pointed out as we stood up and turned around.

"Oh please," huffed Aiden, "I guarantee Mo was the only one that got here on time."

I bowed dramatically for the compliment. Aiden still had sleep in his eyes, his jet black hair sticking up in all directions.

"That's because I had to ride with Wes." Danny sighed as we pushed through the bushes and onto the dirt road.

Wes made a fart noise with his mouth and hopped in the front seat of the kidnapper 5000. I doubted the old van would make it across the country, but I kept my mouth shut. Maybe I secretly hoped it wouldn't. As if that would change anything.

I slipped open the creaky white door, threw my little suitcase onto the pile in the way back, and clambered into the van, settling into my favorite seat. The left side had this little fold-out cup holder, whereas the right one had been broken in the bridge jumping incident a few years prior.

"Big fat dibs front seat," Aiden said as he opened the passenger door.

"Danny gets car sick in the back." Wes and I said in unison.

"I get car sick in the back," Daniel repeated.

"This is my university going away thingy too guys," Aiden threw his hand up in the air, "Let's try to tone down the flagrant favoritism."

"Boo, no $5 words." Wes groaned, pushing his unruly blonde locks back off his forehead.

"You were the latest, get in the back."

"Sorry for sleeping in after helping all of you study for finals."

"That was two months ago, A." I chimed in.

He shot me daggers momentarily, then shifted his eyes between Wes in the driver's seat and Daniel standing impatiently beside him.

"You guys always got to make me the-"

"Odd one out." Wes and Daniel said simultaneously. Daniel rolled his eyes and Wes chuckled to himself.

"Bro, we met each other one grade before we met you, chill out." Wes snorted.

"Well, the third grade must have really made you guys tight." Aiden fake pouted.

"Interjection," I leaned forward, "Danny and I knew each other from preschool."

"Perfect," Aiden clicked his tongue, "Go sit in the back with your oldest friend, Danny boy."

"Notice that I haven't been part of this stupid argument," I said, slumping back in my seat with a smug smile.

"That's because you'd have to sit next to Wes." Aiden snapped back, making Wes and Daniel giggle.

I shrugged. True.

"Alright, let's go ladies." Wes whistled, turning the engine over. The van rattled to a start and Daniel hopped in the front. Aiden slid in the back, a small smile on his face. I knew he would miss these stupid moments too.

His smile faded as he realized what seat he had.

"Damn it, Mo!"